South Korea's Minister of Unification Chung Dong-young announced on September 17 that the National Security Council (NSC) meeting, which was expected to discuss contributions to the Hormuz Strait, did not take place.
During a session of the National Assembly's Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee, Chung responded to a question from An Cheol-soo, a member of the People Power Party, about whether the NSC had convened that morning, stating, "It did not meet." He also confirmed that there were no plans to hold an NSC meeting before the scheduled talks between Foreign Minister Park Jin and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on September 18.
Despite expectations that the government would hold an NSC meeting to finalize contributions to the Hormuz Strait ahead of the U.S.-South Korea foreign ministers' meeting, it appears that a definitive government policy has yet to be established. The government is expected to review the situation comprehensively, considering discussions between South Korea and the U.S. as well as the dynamics in the Middle East.
Chung also addressed concerns raised by opposition lawmakers regarding the provision of medical equipment to a hospital in Gangdong District, Pyongyang, asserting that humanitarian aid should be assessed separately from political circumstances.
People Power Party member Park Chung-kwon cited North Korea's recent joint strike drill involving ballistic missiles and questioned the appropriateness of the government's plan to provide approximately 10 billion won worth of 166 types of medical equipment under such conditions.
Park specifically noted that Gangdong District is home to military facilities, including the Second Economic Committee, which oversees North Korea's weapons research and production, arguing that the medical equipment could potentially support those involved in the military industry.
In response, Chung clarified, "We are not supporting the Second Economic Committee but rather providing aid to the hospital in Gangdong District." He emphasized that the existence of military facilities in the area should be considered separately from humanitarian support for the hospital utilized by local residents.
The Gangdong District hospital is the first to be completed under North Korea's '20x10 Local Development Policy,' and the Ministry of Unification describes the support as a humanitarian initiative aimed at benefiting the local population.
The Ministry is preparing to provide 166 essential medical equipment items needed for diagnosis, surgery, and treatment. In May, the Ministry received approval for an exemption from sanctions from the UN Security Council's North Korea Sanctions Committee for the relevant equipment. Funding is expected to come from the inter-Korean cooperation fund's health and medical cooperation budget.
However, it has not been confirmed whether the medical equipment has already been delivered to North Korea or if a support schedule has been finalized. The Ministry has explained that it is prepared to commence the project immediately if North Korea accepts the aid, having resolved issues related to sanctions and funding in a 'ready-to-go' manner.
The Ministry of Unification also addressed criticisms regarding the appropriateness of pursuing aid amid North Korea's provocations and hostile stance toward South Korea, stating that it maintains the principle of consistently pursuing humanitarian projects regardless of political and military situations.
Additionally, during the Foreign Affairs Committee's report, the Ministry announced plans to promote the removal of hostility between the two Koreas, enhance civilian exchanges, restore communication channels, and reinstate the September 19 military agreement based on the 'Three Major Blueprints for Peaceful Coexistence on the Korean Peninsula.'
The Ministry aims to leverage the U.S. reduction of joint military exercises as an opportunity to restart U.S.-North Korea dialogue, positioning the government as a 'facilitator' to connect the momentum for dialogue to multilateral discussions aimed at establishing a peace regime on the Korean Peninsula. Throughout the policy implementation process, the Ministry plans to gather opinions from civil society and academia while promoting public discourse and intergovernmental consultations.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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